“At Orontes, every cup tells a story,” says Murat Hokka, founder of Orontes. “And that story begins long before the milk reaches the jar—back in the village where I was born, at the southernmost tip of Turkey.”
Hatay, a quiet point on the map, is where Murat’s story begins. “Our village was a dead-end road, the last stop before the Mediterranean,” he recalls. “Summers meant moving to the highlands. Nights had no electricity. We’d sit under the stars, counting the lights of ships passing across the sea. No television. No phones. Just the sky and our thoughts.”
Those quiet nights shaped him, instilling a lesson that would resonate throughout his life: even the most impossible conditions can teach resilience—and the value of aiming for something larger than yourself.
At 14, Murat lost his father. In the aftermath, his mother offered guidance that would alter the trajectory of his life. “She told me, ‘If you stay here, the biggest thing you’ll ever do is buy a donkey to haul wood.’ Those words changed everything.”
(Murat’s mother, though she may not have been able to read or write, was a remarkably wise and godly woman. She drew her knowledge and guidance through her faith, and she is still alive at 100 years old.)
With nothing but determination and a letter from his mother, he traveled 740 kilometers (400 miles) from Hatay to Antalya, expanding his world with each mile. “Letters were our only communication,” he says, “sometimes they arrived, sometimes they didn’t. But every kilometer widened my view of the world.”
Antalya, on the Mediterranean coast, became Murat’s first true culinary school. “The mornings smelled of orange blossoms. Nights by the wood fire taught me patience, balance, and heat control,” he recalls. “I learned that no flavor should overpower another. True taste comes from simplicity and harmony.”
It was here that he developed the philosophy that would later shape Orontes: flavor, like life, thrives in balance.
Murat arrived in Connecticut in 1995, sharing Mediterranean flavors with a new audience. “It was like a piece of my village crossed the ocean,” he says. By 1998, Pennsylvania became home—the heart of American dairy. Working with cattle, sheep, and goats, he learned a profound truth: “Milk is not just food. It is a living value. It carries history, care, and life itself.”
While selecting high-genetic dairy heifers, Murat realized something: America lacked authentic Mediterranean yogurt. Bringing fresh milk home, he made yogurt for friends and neighbors. “Everyone loved it. And I loved it, too. That small hobby became a mission: people deserve this yogurt.”
“At the time, there were very few production facilities in the Lancaster area capable of making yogurt the traditional way. Searching for a facility marked the first tangible step toward Orontes. It wasn’t just about making yogurt,” he says. “It was about preserving the integrity of milk, culture, and tradition.”
The batches he produced in Lancaster over the next two years would later become what we now know as Orontes. Though people loved it then, the newly crafted formula has now made its way back to the area under the Orontes name, and is even better than before.
In 2019, Murat acquired Penn Cheese, a facility that had originally produced strictly cheese. Recognizing a larger opportunity, he strategically renamed it Penn Dairy to reflect a broader vision: not only crafting Orontes yogurt but also co-packing for nationwide brands.
“The goal was to create a facility that could uphold the same high standards for yogurt as we do for Orontes, while also supporting other brands,” Murat explains.
By 2024, the facility in Winfield, Pennsylvania, had fully transitioned: it now produces 100% yogurt, dedicated to preserving quality, culture, and craft in every batch.
Between 2022 and 2023, Orontes evolved into a full-fledged brand. Murat carefully selected A2A2 Jersey cows from a local farm to ensure the highest-quality milk for the yogurt.
“Made with grass-fed A2A2 milk, live cultures, and chicory root fiber—no additives, clean label, natural texture—authentic Mediterranean yogurt was reborn,” Murat says. “This yogurt carries everything we value: craft, integrity, and respect for the ingredients.”
Penn Dairy isn’t just a production facility—it’s a learning hub. Orontes hosts students from Bucknell University, Susquehanna University, Penn State, and other local colleges, inviting them to Penn Dairy to gain hands-on experience in yogurt-making. Additionally, Penn Dairy sends staff to Penn State for educational programs, further strengthening the connection between practical production and academic learning.
“Business, engineering, and chemistry students learn the craft of yogurt-making while gaining real-world experience in brand development, supply chain, and consumer behavior,” Murat notes.
Beyond students, Orontes hosts local dietitians, hospital staff, and community members, offering yogurt as a clean, easy-to-digest food option. Murat also collaborates with health campaigns and hospital programs, including a recent initiative with Zing 543210 from a local medical institute, to hand out parfait samples to children during a field day at their school.
“It’s about sharing knowledge, nutrition, and the joy of yogurt with the community,” he adds.
In addition, Penn Dairy, alongside Orontes, welcomes young farmers to the facility. These visits allow farmers to see firsthand what happens to their milk once it reaches the production floor, broadening their understanding of the dairy process and connecting their work to a larger purpose beyond milk production.
“We want to show them how craft, quality, and integrity translate from farm to table,” Murat explains.
In Mediterranean tradition, yogurt is about purity, balance, and simplicity.
“We never strain it. We preserve protein, vitamins, and probiotics. Milk + culture = yogurt. Everything else is excess,” Murat explains. “No gums, starch, pectin, gelatin, or additives. Just milk and culture.”
Fermented for 20 hours, Orontes is lactose-free, easy to digest, and naturally thick.
“We mix chicory root fiber with milk during fermentation,” he says. “Prebiotics and probiotics meet from the start, creating a more balanced, functional yogurt. By the time it reaches your kitchen, it’s ready to enjoy—no mixing, no fuss.”
Orontes’ philosophy is simple: real milk, clean ingredients, and respect for tradition. With 35 team members and support from over 100 pasture-based farms, Murat emphasizes three core values: craft, quality, and honesty.
“This journey is proof of what people can achieve when they unite around something real,” he says. “Return to real milk. Choose A2A2 protein. Choose honest yogurt. This isn’t just a brand—it’s a return to the true nature of milk.”
Co-written by a member of the Orontes Team
Published on November 24, 2025
